Apparatus for games or the like



April 3, 1945. J. M. PRENTICE APPARATUS FOR GAME OR THE LIKE 2 ShJets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1944 n 7 u... V

mmvroa April 3, 1945.

J.M.PRENflCE APPARATUS FOR GAME OR 'THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HVVENTDR.

Patented Apr. 3, 1945 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- APPARATUS FOR GAMES OR THE LIKE James M. Prentice, South'Hadley, Mass. Application March 20, 1944, Serial 'No. 527,158

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in indicating apparatus and is directed more particularly "to apparatus for indicating results.

'I'heprinci'pal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of apparatus wherein a pluralityof prime members and asecondary member are "interconnected for relative movements in such a way that asone or both of the prime members are moved the secondary member is moved thereby.

The invention is adapted for broad application but for purposes of description the invention will be described in connection with game apparatus.

Various novel features of construction and the advantagesof the invention will be observed from the following description thereof with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a game apparatus embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the lower panel removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view on the line 3-3 of 'Fig. '2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are top and bottom plan views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a modified form of the-invention.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will be fully described. It will be understood that while the invention is to be described in connection with game apparatus that it is not to be so limited since the invention is adapted for various uses in connection with various forms of the apparatus.

As in Fig. 1, an upper game board or panel is represented by 2 which preferably .has -a frame 4 therearound. Th board 2 may be arranged for any game desired. As an illustration where the game is a footboll game the board may be ornamented with matter appropriate to that kind of agame. A lower panel 3 is omitted in Fig. .2.

A result window is provided at 6 and play windows 8 and "ID are provided as shown. These may be called prime windows. A member I2 is movable below the window 6 and other members I4 and I6 are movable below the windows 8 and I0.

In the play of a game the window 8 may be for a player or set of players and the window I0 may be for an opposing player or an opposing set of players.

The movable members I4 and I6 may carry characters as in the case of a football game, a set of difierent plays. The players or sets of players in their turn according to the rules of play move the said movable members 14 and IE to position certain plays in the windows 8 and I0.

Obviously the rules of the game may be varied within wide limits and for purposes of description it is of no consequence whether the players move the carrier members I4 and It so as to position a certain play at the windows 3 and I0 or they are required to move said members in a certain way so that an unknown play is positioned at the windows. Each of the members l4 and I6 carry a plurality of plays as stated and those on one may include tackle and those on the other may include forward pass.

'The'result member I2 carries a plurality of r snlts and as will hereinafter be described the said member I2 is moved accordingly as the members I4 and iii are moved so as to position a certain result at window 6. For instance among the results may be 5 yd. gain. The plays and results may be so arranged on their respective carriers that a result will be presented to result Window 5 which is more or less normal relative to the plays presented at the play windows.

The movable member I2 may take the form of a disc as shown which has a shaft 20 suitably journalled for rotation. The members I4 and I6 are arranged for sliding movements in guideivays formed by the sides of the frame 4, panel 2 and members 22.

A rack 24 meshes with a pinion 26 which is fixed,

to the member I2 or the shaft 20 and it is guided for reciprocating movements in a guideway 28. If desired, the member 24 may carry results and the member I2 be eliminated, so that 24 will be the result member.

Shafts 39 and 32 are journalledfor rotation relative to the panel 2 and carry manually engageable members 34 outside or on top of panel 2 and pinions 35 which mesh with teeth provided on the members 14 and I5, a shown.

A bar member 38 is pivoted at 40 to the member 24 in any suitable manner as to a block 4'2 secured to the member 24. Opposite ends of .the bar 33 are slotted to receive pins 44 on the carriers I4 and I6, as shown.

The members I4 and I6 and their respective guideways are so arranged that said members I4 and I6 are frictionally engaged so that as one of the carriers is moved, the other will be frictionally held against movement whereby the pin "44 of the carrier so held functions as a pivot so as to bring about movement of carrier I2 to present a result to the window 6. Then the other carrier is moved and a different result may be presented to the result window.

A slide 50 is provided to cover the'window I and it has a stem 52' slidable in the frame I with a spring 54 around the stem between said frame nd slide. A manually engageable member 56 is provided on, the stem 52. This may be grasped by the fingers of the hand for moving the slide against the spring to uncover the window.

According to the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a top panel 60 has a result window 62 and play panels 64 and 66 which correspond to the windows previously described.

Carriers I0 and I2 have portions I4 and I6 that are slidable in guideways between the panel 60 and guide members 18. The guideways as before described are arranged forfrictionally engaging the slidable members for the purpose already described.

A result carrier I8 has a shaft 80 journalled for rotation-relative to the panel 60 and said shaft carries a grooved pulley 82. A slide which may be in the form of a pin 86 is slid-able in a guideway 88 and a bar 90 is journalled on the said in 86.

Grooved idler wheels 92 are journalled on studs 94 and other wheels 96 are journalled on studs 98. A grooved idler wheel I00 is journalled at I02. Opposite ends of the bar 90 are slotted and receive pins I03 of the carriers I0 and I2.

A flexible member represented by I04 has its opposite ends fixed to the carrier I0 and it passes around the wheels 92 and 96 as shown. A similar member I06 has its opposite ends fixed to carrier I2 and it passes around wheels 92 and 96. There may be several wraps of the members I04 and I06 around the wheels 96 to which wheels I the said members may be fastened if desired.

A flexible member I08 has opposite ends fixed to the connection 86 and it passes around the idler I00 and the wheel 82.

With the carriers I0 and I2 in frictional engagement with their respective guideways one of the carriers may be moved t position a play at one of the play windows and accordingly as the carriers are moved the result member will be moved thereby.

The carriers I0 and I2 may be moved by various means but as a suitable means manually engageable members I06 fixed to the said carriers extend through slots I08 in the panel 60.

Thus the prime members or carriers which carry plays or prime characters are independently movable to present prime characters to their respective windows. Being operably connected to the result member said member is actuated accordingly as the prime members are moved.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all bers may be respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a game apparatus comprising in combination, a, supporting structure including a panel provided with a result window and separate lay windows, a result member carrying results mounted for rotation in said structure beneath said panel whereby results thereon may register with the result window, carrier members reciprocably and frictionally mounted beneath said panel carrying indicia representing plays for registering with the play windows, an operating member reciprocable in said structure and operative means connecting it to said result member whereby the latter may be rotated by reciprocation of the former, means for reciprocating said carrier members, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said reciprocable member, connections between opposite ends of said lever and said carrier members, all adapted and arranged whereby one of said carrier members may be reciprocated while the other car.-

rier member is frictionally held against reciprocation thereby to actuate the operating member and bring about rotation of the result member or both of said carrier members may be reciprocated to rotate the result member.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a game apparatus comprising in combination, a supporting structure including a panel provided with a result window and separate play windows, a result member carrying results mounted for rotation in said structure beneath said panel whereby results thereon may register with the result window, carrier members reciprocably and friction: ally mounted beneath said panel carrying indicia representing plays for registering with the play windows, an operating member reciprocable in said structure and operative means connecting it to said result member whereby the latter may be rotated by reciprocation of the former, means for reciprocating said carrier members, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said reciprocable member, connections between opposite ends of, said lever and said carrier members, all adapted and arranged whereby one of said carriermemreciprocated while the other carrier memberis frictionally held against reciprocation thereby to actuate the operating member and bring about rotation of the result member or both of said carrier members may be reciprocated to rotate the result member, and a slide reciprocable relative to said panel adapted to close the result window.

JAMES M. PRENTICE. 

